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Switzerland like the Netherlands was committed to neutrality. Unlike the Netherlands they were able to maintain their neutrality. Historians have asked why Switzeland suceeded. The central reason is probably that they had a creditable military force. The Swiss were prepared to fight and by withdrawing into their Alpine national redoubt could have put up a substantial resistance. The Panzers would have been lkess effective than on the flat terraine of Poland France, and Russia. There is no doubt that the NAZIs would have succeeded, but it would have been at considerable cost. There is also no doubt that if they had prevailed in the War that Switzerland would have disappeared. Switzerland has a large German population, part of which was pro-NAZI. NAZI forbarance also reflected the fact that Switzerland was useful to the NAZI war effort. Swiss raw materials and industrial production could be imported. In addition, the Swiss played a role in finanzing the German war effort. Gold looted from the occupied countries could be used in Switzerland. Swiss acquiesence to NAZI demands were understandable after the fall of France (1940), but many observers believe that it continued long after the fortunes of war changed and the danger of NAZI invasion passed. Unlike Sweden, the Swiss returned Jewish refugees who managed to reach Switzeland to the Germans. This continued even adter D-Day.
Switzerland like the Netherlands was committed to neutrality. Unlike the Netherlands they were able to maintain their neutrality. Swiss neutrality emerged fromthe bloody religious fighting that occurred as a result of the Reformation. This almost destroyed the Swiss Federation as it was coposed of Germans and French with different religious convictions (16th century). The Peace of Westphalia endied the 30 Years War (1648). The Swiss opted for neutrality and a measure of religious toleraion. Swiss neutrality was reconfirmed after the Napoleonic Wars at the Congress of Vienna (1815). Swiss neutrality became accepted by other counties even through major wars such as the Franco Prussian War (1870-71). The Hague Conventions codified Switzerland's neutrality that had become widely accepted in Europe (1907). More significantly witzerland remained neutral throughout World War I (1914-18).
Historians have asked why Switzeland suceeded. The central reason is probably that they had a creditable military force. The Swiss had only a small professional army. They were, however, well armed. They were also organized to very rapidly mobilize if the Germans invaded. Strong points were set up in villages througout the country.
The Swisss were shocked by the NAZI Anschluss in Austria (1938). Large areas of Switzeland had German ethnic populations. These areas were once part of Germany under the Holy Roman Empire. As war approached in Europe, the Swiss Army mobilized. This represented ober percent of the population. After launching World War II in Poland (September 1939), the Germans struck first at Denmark and Norway, and then the Low Countries. With the fall of France (June 1940), Switzerland was surrounded by NAZI Germany and Fascist Italy. Many assumed that Switzerland would be another NAZI target.
The Swiss feared a NAZI invasion. Chief General Guisan in Parliament delivered a speech suggesting at colaboration with the Germans. It was controversial at the time and continues to be so today. Colaboration on the scale eventually pursued by Switzerland was a violation of Swiss neutrality. Guisan assembled the Swiss officer corps at the Rütli meadow on Lake Luzern. This is believed to be where the Swiss Federation was founded in 1291. Guisan pledged Swiss commitment to independence and neutrality. The Swiss officer corps en masse repeated that pledge.
The Swiss were prepared to fight and by withdrawing into their Alpine national redoubt could have put up a substantial resistance. Guisan withdrew Switzerlan's principal defenses to the high Alps--the réduit national (“Fortress Switzerland”). The Swiss feveeisly worked n the redoubt, establishing strong points and preparing artillery emplacements. Fortress Switzerland would have been a network snowbound bunkers in the high Alps. The Panzers would have been lkess effective than on the flat terraine of Poland France, and Russia. The Swis defense plan entailed withdrawing from the northern lowlands (including Basel, Zürich, Bern, and Geneva). This was where the great bulk of the Swiss people lived. Hitler could have seized it with obly minimal fighting. The Swiss plan was essentially to abandon the Swiss people to the NAIZs. There is no doubt that the NAZIs would have succeeded, but it would have been at considerable cost.
There is also no doubt that if the NAZIs had prevailed in the War that Switzerland would have disappeared.
Switzerland is a multi-lingual country. The two largest groups are French and German speakers. French speakers are the largest group, but German speakers predominate in many cantons. Cultural patterns mirror the laguage patterns. Thus French culture is important among the French speakers. German culture dominates among the German speakers. There is a strong loyalty to Switzerland that cuts accross the language divide. Some of the German-speaking population was loyal or a least sympathetic to the NAZIs. I am not sure at this tome how to quantify this. Nor am I sure how this affected Swiss policies during the War. It had to be a factor that Swiss officials considered.
NAZI forbarance also reflected the fact that Switzerland was useful to the NAZI war effort. Swiss raw materials and industrial production could be imported. The Swiss exported guns, ammunition and heavy artillery to Germany. In addition, the Swiss played a role in finanzing the German war effort. Gold looted from the occupied countries could be used in Switzerland. the Swiss National Bank accepted gold from Germany as payment for exports and to purchase Swiss Francs that could be used to but war materials. The Swiss were also aware that the gold had been looted from occupied countries and the seized possessions of Jews and others. The Swiss continued to accept NAZI gold until Berlin fell to the Soviets (April 1945). Switzerland's geographic position was also important to the NAZIs. Major rail links between Italy and Germany ran through Switzerland, including tunnels that could have easily been closed.
Swiss acquiesence to NAZI demands were understandable after the fall of France (1940), but many observers believe that it continued long after the fortunes of war changed and the danger of NAZI invasion passed.
witzerland was another country not conquered by the NAZIs. After the fall of France, however, the Swiss were certainly vulknerable to the NAZIs and possible German invasion. The Swiss never turned over their Jews to the NAZIs. The Swiss did participate in the Holocaust in a number of ways. Unlike the Swedes, the Swiss returned Jewish refugees who managed to reach Switzeland to the Germans. This continued even adter D-Day. They did turn over thousands of Jews fleeing the NAZIs. They also accepted about $5 billion (2002 value) in NAZI gold which as early a 1942 they knew to be looted or victim gold. This continued into 1945, even after the Swiss were provided information from the Allies. These fund were used by the NAZIs to purchase critical war materials from other neutral countries. Swiss banks and insurance companies in particular profited. Swiss banks kept Jewish accounts out of the hands of the NAZIs, they refused to provide the assetts to survivors after the War. [Gumble] Americans will be cnfused because in America banks after to turn inactive accounts over tostate governments. Inactive bank accounts in Europe, however, generally become the property of the banks. This there was a major vested interested on the part of the Swis banks to make it difficult for survivors and their descendents to access these accounts. Swiss companies in Germany used slave laborers. [Eizenstat] Many Swiss took advantage of the Jews during the War. Some Swiss turned Jewsish reffugees into virtual slaves because the Jews faced deportment if they were reported. The Swiss also allowed the NAZIs to deport Italian Jews over Swiss rail lines.
We do not yet many individual war-time experiebces from SWitzerland. A HBC reader, Tom, recalls some boyhood experiences during the War.
Eizenstat, Stuart. Imperfect Justice.
Gumble, Peter.
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